Growing Up
1945 - 1970 Switzerland
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I was born on this farm on September 15, 1945, in Köniz, Switzerland, as the first child of my parents, Kathy Nydegger and Werner Imhof.
Two years later, my sister Hedwig was born. The earliest memory of my childhood that I can remember is when my younger sister Elisabeth got added to the family. It was a few days after moving to Biel/Bienne where my father had accepted a job with the Swiss Railroad Company as a specialty carpenter. We were still unpacking boxes and arranging furniture when my mom came home from the hospital with Elisabeth. Three years later, my brother Herbert was born. I was seven years old then and had no idea where babies came from. They were just suddenly part of the family. I guess Mom and Dad didn't educate us well on that subject.
I remember spoon-feeding Herbert mashed potatoes with carrots. It was fun watching him grow and take his first steps. Dad handcrafted a wooden rocking horse called "Bambi" for Herbert's third birthday. It was painted brown with white spots and a white mane. It was a big sensation at Rennweg 70. Kids from the neighborhood came to watch Herbert ride his Bambi, but he wouldn't let anybody touch it.
My hometown, Biel/Bienne, had about 70,000 people back then. Most were blue-collar folks working for companies tied to the watch Industry.
We lived in the small suburb of Mett, in a 3-bedroom apartment on the ground floor. It came with an attic dormitory and adjacent storage. It also included a basement wood workshop, a food storage room, and a large vegetable garden outback. I shared a room with my brother on the first floor, and my sisters were privileged to share the attic dormitory.
We did most of the shopping right in Mett from local mom-and-pop stores like the dairy, the baker, the butcher, the grocer, and the druggist. In later years, two supermarkets opened up in Biel/Bienne. Mom sent me there occasionally on my bicycle when she needed bulk items such as oil, rice, flour, and sugar.
Money was tight, given my father's modest salary. Every penny counted. The vegetable garden was essential to us. We grew salads, onions, carrots, cabbage, radishes, potatoes, turnips, red beets, celery, onions, and the most common herbs. We also had bushes of raspberries, gooseberries, and currants. My parents educated us about everything in the garden and kept us involved in planting, watering, weeding, and harvesting. They were also very resourceful and took advantage of what mother nature offered in the wild, like firewood from the forest, mushrooms, wild berries, fallen apples, pears, and plums. Mom prepared her own Sauerkraut every fall in a 30-inch tall glazed clay barrel. She preserved fruits and vegetables in glass jars during other parts of the year. These goodies came in handy in feeding our family during the winter months.
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We seldom stayed home on weekends except when it was raining, and we played cards or board games. We loved the outdoors, especially hiking in the forest or nearby mountains. During my high school years, we delivered magazines by bicycle to customers all over town as a family. No excuse every Wednesday and Thursday evening, rain or shine or snow and ice. The little money we earned from it went into a piggy bank and was used to finance our (yearly) hiking vacation in the Alps.
My parents didn't have the financial means for me to attend kindergarten. 1st grade started when I was six years old. I had five teachers over my nine years of primary schooling. My first teacher was Elisabeth Blaser, a real bitch, and disciplinarian. I still feel the pain on my knuckles and head from the punishments with her wooden ruler. The teacher I liked most was Heinz Fuhrer in 5th and 6th grade. He taught the subjects in a way I could relate to. When I was in 7th grade, the State eliminated ink wells and allowed us to use ball-point pens. That was the coolest thing! That same year, my half-uncle Urs bought me my first pair of skis. They had steel edges and Kandahar bindings. He and his then-fiance Rita often invited me to ski at Les Prés-d'Orvin. Coca-Cola and Bazooka chewing gum became popular things around that time. I was wearing my first pair of American blue jeans in 8th grade.
My favorite subjects in school were history, geography, singing, and PE. I struggled with writing and composition, French, and math no matter what. I never did well in school and hated doing homework (I would instead have played soccer with my buddies). No wonder my scores were mostly C's and a few B's, except for an A in singing and PE. Nevertheless, I somehow passed all nine grades.
I'm grateful to my parents for the way I was brought up. Looking back and realizing their upbringing and struggles and considering how little money they had, they did a great job keeping us fed, clothed, and educated. They taught us proper values and provided all the ingredients for a happy, loving home. Of course, I was disciplined many times (and for good reasons). I guess boys will always be boys! Dad usually acted as the disciplinarian, so as a kid, I naturally liked my mother better!
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My parents bought me a better bicycle for my high school graduation in 1960. On May 1, I started an apprenticeship as a watchmaker. I trained in a small watch factory Monday through Friday. On Wednesdays, I attended academic classes at the professional college. Watchmaking was new for me. I had no idea what I was getting into as a 15-year-old, but it fascinated me from the first moment. At last, I saw a purpose for what I had learned in grade school and what they taught in college. I had good teachers and could apply the knowledge to something tangible. I started to blossom - the Heinz in me finally woke up!
My salary as an apprentice was approximately $20 a week. It was very little money, and Dad insisted I put 50% in a savings account (a valuable life lesson). It was around that time that The Beatles became a huge success. I was a big fan of theirs and spent nearly all my pocket money on the new LPs on sale. I listen to their hits while studying in my room. Dad had to ask me time and time again to turn down the jukebox volume! My parents were not very fond of the 60's music with electric guitars and long hair for men.
In 1964, I received my Swiss Watchmaker Diploma plus a special recognition from the mayor for finishing 1st in the exams. My parents attended the graduation and were very proud of my achievements. I had never seen my Dad with tears in his eyes before.
Ursula and I met by chance in 1965 in a ballroom dance class. There was an immediate attraction between us. We were passionate about dancing, and as time passed, we discovered more things in common. Our relationship evolved, and we became inseparable. Falling in love is the most beautiful thing. At some moments, I felt almost paralyzed in a state I had never experienced. It was such a profound feeling. Ursula is a beautiful person inside and out. She became the love of my life!
At age 20, I was summoned by the Swiss military for the mandatory 16-week basic training. The program was challenging, but it was even tougher to be separated from Ursula for weeks and weeks. We sent letters back and forth, and our time together was much more special when I was on leave. My primary training as a medic was very interesting and helpful. Thus, I decided to serve an additional 16 weeks and got promoted to sergeant. The military taught me discipline, organization, and leadership skills. Little did I know that this would help me much later in my professional career.
Ursula and I were both adventurers with the desire to travel and explore. We went on several camping vacations to places in Switzerland, Spain, Italy, and Croatia, and we took road trips to Germany and France. Our travel experiences created an appetite for more.
After graduation, I worked as a watchmaker and was soon promoted to production manager. And with that, my salary more than doubled. I never forgot the astonished look on my Dad's face when he realized I was making more money than him. He was very fond of me, of course, but in a way, it hurt. A few weeks later, he asked me to contribute more money to the household. That shocked me, but in hindsight, it was justified and the right thing to give me a "kick in the butt." I needed to grow up and get my own apartment - and I did.
My work team was excellent. I was able to manage the production well, but at the same time, it was also more stress and pressure than I cared for at that young age. Before long (1968), I quit and accepted a new position at Rolex, Geneva. Working for such a prestigious brand was a giant step up and a privilege. In addition, it allowed me to practice my French and would eventually allow me to work in one of their subsidiaries abroad. It felt good to have a goal!
After Ursula graduated as an architect, we decided to get engaged, and shortly after that, she found work in Lausanne, which was also in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. Plus, it was only a 45-minute drive by car from Geneva. We spent unforgettable moments together in that western part of Switzerland. We often drove over the border to a Discotek in France and danced all night long with friends. You could say we were "the young and restless."
In December of 1969, I was reading the local newspaper when an ad caught my eye, "Watchmaker for New York." After consulting with Ursula, we decided I should inquire about it. A few days later, I interviewed for the job and was offered a position by Piaget Watch Co. to work for their importer/distributor in New York City. On the day I signed the contract, I was informed that it would be easier to obtain immigration papers for Ursula if we were married. So we had to make a split decision.
We married on January 16, 1970, with Ursula's twin brother Wally and my younger sister Elisabeth jumping in as witnesses. The officiation was carried out by a city official in Biel/Bienne. We didn't have the time or the money for a church wedding. Our wedding was celebrated the following Sunday in a close family circle at my parent's apartment. Wow, that was so wild!
Ursula and I were super excited about our future in the USA. Her parents, Gerda and Conrad, liked me and supported our plans, but it wasn't easy for them to see their only daughter leave for a faraway country. Piaget Watch Co. trained me at their facility in La Côtes-aux-Fees until we received the US immigration papers 13 months later.
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